Joseph h



(No Model.)

A J. HCAMPBELL. APPARATUS POR OPERATING VAPOR OR AMMONIA ENGINES. No.427,4()0.

Patented May O, 1890.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING VAPOR OR AMMONIA ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,400, dated May 6,1890.

Application lefl February 4, 1889. Renewed December 16, 1889. Serial No.333,844. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for OperatingVapor or Ammonia Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and eX- act description of said invention, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters or figures ofreference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification. l

My improvement relates to that class of vapor-engines in which theelastic medium employed is a gas held in solution by physical absorptionin a liquid, from which the gas is liberated when thesolution is heated,and by which it is readily reabsorbed when the liquid is cooled. Theliquid which 1 employ is aquaammonia, or ammonia-gas, held in aqueoussolution, and in the specification and claims I denominate the class ofengines .to which my invention applies as ammonia-engines.7

My invention consists in certain new and improved apparatus, hereinafterdescribed, to be used in the operations of such engines; but the methodof operation involved in its use forms the subject-matter of a separateapplication, Serial No. 298,631, filed February 4, 1889, and thereforeis not claimed herein.

The accompanying drawing represents a vertical side elevation of myapparatus, partly in section.

A general description of the principal parts of the apparatus and itsoperation is as follows:

A is a steam-boiler of any desired construction, in which steam isgenerated for the purpose of heating the aqua-ammonia, and from whichsteam is supplied for heating the aquaammonia on its return to thegenerator B. The `generator B may be similar in construction to atubular boiler, and is placed above the steam-boiler A, the tubes b b inthe genera-tor being connected with the steam-space of the boiler A bypipes C and O2, so that steam entering the tubes b b, from the pipe Ctraverses the tubes and is returned with the Water of condensationthrough pipe C2 to the boiler at a point below the water-line,

as shown in dotted lines. The valves V and V2 regulate the supply andreturn of steam between the boiler and generator, and thereby byregulating the heat applied to the contents of the generator Bcorrespondingly regulate the gas-pressure supplied to theammonia-engine.

The generator B is supplied with aqua-ammonia, the Water-levell beingsituate between the points where the pipes D aud G enter the generator..

D is the vapor-pipe, which conducts the gas generated in the generator B(liberated from the aqua-ammonia by the steam traversing the tubes b b)to the ammonia-engine E, the.

piston of which is driven by the expansive force of the ammonia-gas. Thevapor from the engine E, after doing its work, is exhausted through thepipe F into the absorber S. The exhaust-gas is absorbed in the pipe Fand absorber S by means of absorbing liquid from the generator orsprayed into the pipe F by a spray-j et J.

It is one of the important features of my engines, described and claimedin a former patent, No. 337,371, that to avoid the introduction into-the circulation of my apparatus of additional Water from Without theliquid used to absorb the exhaust is weak aqua-ammonia drawn from thegenerator B and cooled in order to restore its power of absorbing am-'monia before bringing it into contact with the exhaust-gas. For thispurpose the pipe G from below the Water-level ofthe generator Bis ledthrough a cooling-box L, whence it enters the exhaust-pipe F at J. Thisliquid, as it leaves the generator B, is a Weak aqueous solution ofammonia, the ammonia being constantly liberated from the Water by thesteam heat of the generator, the gas passing off to the engine, whilethe Water remains behind. This cooled weak'solution passes into theexhaust-pipe F, where it is sprayed into and over the exhaust-gaspassing with it into the absorber S, which is cooled by cold Water orotherWise,and whereby the gas is absorbed by the weak solution, forminga strong solution,l which, passing out of the absorber, is drained bygravity into the bottom of the secondary absorber S', and from there isforced IOO by a vacuum-pump P2, of ordinary construction,l adapted todraw the solution and any free gas carried therewith fromthe absorber S'and force it into a well XV. The well WV is a close vessel for thepurpose of holding the liquid forced therein under pressure, so that anyfree gas which may have escaped absorption may now be forced by thepressure in ihewell to enter into solution with the liquid therein,whence the strong solution is forced back into the generator to keep upt-he supply for continuous operation.

There are certain parts of the apparatus which require the use of powerfor their operation-such, for instance, as the pumps P', P2,andID3-which, in such apparatus it is usual to operate by means of thepower of the main engine, or at any rate by means of the expansive forceof the gas drawn from the generator. In my engine, however, the poweremployed to drive the main engine is that of the gas liberated from theaqua-ammonia by the heat of the steam circulating in tubes from thesteam-boiler, and I propose to drive the pumps P' P2 P3 referred to, oreither of them, and any other parts of the machinery by means of theliquid contained in the generator under generator-pressure that is tosay, under the pressure exerted on the surface of the weak solution bythe gas generated therefrom and contained in the vapor-space of thegenerator. To accomplish this I attach the piston of the water-cylinderM of the forcepump P to the piston-rod of a small engine H, of ordinaryconstruction, so that the same piston-rod K, operated by the engine H,operates the piston of the pump P'. I connect the slide-valve of theengine II by a-pipe G with the generator B at a point below thewater-level, and the pressure of the liquid or weak solution from thegenerator operates the engine. The exhaust from the engine II connectswith the pipes I and I', which, with the pipe G, form a line of pipefrom the generator B to the exhaust-pipe F of the main engine E.

By passing through andv operating the auxiliary Water-engine I-I theweak solution from the generator is somewhat cooled. It thence passesthrough the pipe I', a part of which forms a worm inclosed in acooling-box Il, where it is surrounded by cold water, which isconstantly running in and out of the cooling-box. The weak solution isthus cooled, and passes in that condition by the pipe I' into theexhaust-pipe F of the main engine, where it is discharged through a jet.I in a downward direction into and among the eX- haust ammonia-vaporfrom the main engine.

It is important tovhave the weak solution, when it enters theexhaust-pipe F, as cool as possible, because the power of' water toabsorb ammonia-gas diminishes very rapidly as the heat of the waterincreases, and vice versa.

The pump P' is used to force cold water into the absorbers S and S. M isthe water-cylinder of such pump, having a suction-pipe d anddischarge-pipe c2. The by-pass pipe I. with a Valve,may be used toconnect the pipes Gr and I', so as to permit more or less of the weaksolution from the generator to pass through the cooling-box L and' intothe exhaust-pipe F without passing through the water-pump II. A similararrangement may be made for the operation of the pumps P2 and P3, orother water-motors connected with the apparatus, the exhaust-liquid fromthe engine being in such cases returned to the pipe I', or directly intothe absorber S. As the ammonia solution used to absorb the exhaust-gasfrom the engine has been cooled to a considerable degree in order tocause it to absorb as much of the gas as possible, it is desirablebefore returning the strong ammonia solution thus obtained to thegenerator to heat it in order to prevent the chilling of the contents ofthe generator. For this purpose I interpose between the well lV on oneside and the boiler A and generator B on the other side a closereservoir T, which communicates with the liquid-space of the Well IV bya pipe R, in the line of which is placed a small force-pump P3 to forcethe aqua-ammonia from the well XV to the reservoir T. This pump may beoperated as before described with relation to pump IJ' or otherwise.From the upper part of the reservoir T a pipe U leads to andcommunicates with the liquid-space of the generator B. Inside of thereservoir T is a steam-coil X2, the upper end of which is connected by apipe X, furnished with a valve VAS, with the steam-space of thewater-boiler A, and the lower part of the coil X2 is connected by a pipeX3, also furnished with a valve V4, with the water-space of the boiler.By this means live steam from the boiler A in such quantity as may bedesired and determined by the valves passes downward through the coil X2and returns with the water of condensation to the boiler. It is obviousthat the strong aqua-ammonia forced into the reservoir T from the well Wby the pump P3 will thus be considerably heated before it enters theliquid-space of the generator.

As one of the chief difficulties in the construction of ammonia-engineapparatus is to effect the complete absorption of the exhaustgas fromthe engine by the weak ammonia solution from the boiler, and as thisresult must be secured not only by cooling the solution-before minglingthe gas with it, but also and largely by so constructing the apparatusthat the gas and liquid will be intimately mixedV while the solution isbeing cooled, I use absorbers of peculiar construction which I willproceed to describe.

S is an absorber of plate-iron, of any desired shape and outwardconformation, preferably of oblong and substantially rectangular form,as shown in longitudinal section. The absorber has a double head at eachend, formed by caps Q' and Q2, bolted onto the main body-of theabsorber. It is furnished IOC IIO

with a series of longitudinal tubes n n n2 n2 n3 n3, which at each endopen into the waterways formed by the double heads. The space at eachend of the absorber termed by the caps Q and Q2 is divided into twowater-ways (marked l, 2, 3, and 4) by partitions m and m2. Thesepartitions m and m2 correspond in location and height with perforateddiaphragms or division-plates q and q2, each of which extends entirelyacross the interior ot the absorber and extends lengthwise from one endnearly to the other end, the top diaphragm q being attached to thetube-head at theleft end, where partition 'm' isl'ocated, and diaphragmq2 to the tube-head on the right end, where partition 'm2 is located. Bythis arrangement the interior of the absorber is divided into threecommunicating chambers, and spaces f and f2 are left at the ends of thediaphragms, for the free passage of any liquid or gas which has notfound its way from one chamber ot the absorber to the other through thepert'orations of the diaphragm.

As before stated, the exhaust-pipe F ot the engine communicates with theabsorber S, entering the upper chamber, or that port-ion traversed bythe tubes n u. The weak solution from the generator B, after operatingthe pump engine or motor Il and having been cooled in the cooling-box L,enters the exhaust-pipe F by the spray-j et J,and, together with theexhaust-gas from the-main engine, (which has been to some extentabsorbed by the solution,) is carried downward into the absorber partlyby the pressure of the gas in the generator and partly by action of thevacuum-pump P2, before mentioned, communicating with the secondaryabsorber S. The liquid entering at'the jet J takes up a part of thevapor in the exhaust-pipe by absorption and carries the unabsorbed gasby adhesion through the pipe F into the upper chamber of the absorber.Here the gas and liquid pass around the tubes n n', which are cooled, ashereinafter described, the gas being more absorbed by the liquid as theybecome more intimately mixed and the liquid becomes cooler. A portion ofthe liquid and gas passes through the perforations in the diaphragm qand the remainder passes through the space at the end of the diaphragminto the next division, and so on down to the 'lowest division of theabsorber, and thence the liquid, having become cooled, and havingabsorbed nearly if not quite all ot the gas, and having thus beenrestored to the condition of a strong solution of ammonia, is drained bygravity through pipe O into absorber S, constructed similar to absorberS, entering the same at the bottom or below its liquid-line, and afterpassing around the tubes leaves it at the top, thus maintaining withinit a body of solution for the purpose of entrapping and absorbing suchfree gas as may have been carried along by adhesion. The pump .P2withdraws the solution from absorber S and carries it, as beforedescribed, into the well YV.

The absorber is cooled by means of water or other refrigerating-liquidpassed through the tubes n n n2 n2 n3 n3, as follows: The cooling-liquidis pumped by the water-cylinder M of pump P', through pipe CL2, throughthe chambersand tubes ot the absorber S', from where it passes throughpipe a3 into water-way l in the head of the absorber S, whence it passesthrough tubes vis-n2 to Waterway 2 on the other side and through thetubes n2 n2 to the \\fater-way 3 on the right-hand side, and thencethrough tubes 'n' nvinto water-way 4 on the left-hand side, and thenceout through the pipe a4.

The advantages ot the construction just described over that heretoforeused, in which the cooling-liquid surrounds the pipes and the gas andthe absorbing-liquid pass through the tubes of tlie absorber, are thatit gives a larger relative space for the gas and that less obstructionis offered to the gas before it reaches the cooling-surfaces, and itincreases the cooling-space of the absorber Without increasing its size,inasmuch as the cooling-surface presented to the absorbing -liquid isgreater when the liquid to be cooled surrounds the pipes than when thecooling medium is outside and the liquid to be cooled passes through thepipes. I

lVhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In ammonia-engine apparatus, the com` bination of a Vgeneratorarranged to be heated by steam or otherwise, an ammonia-engine to beoperated by gas from the generator, a water motor or engine to beoperated by liquid from the generator, suitable pipes connecting saidengines with the generator, an exhaustpipe from each engine arranged tobring the liquid-exhaust and gaseous-exhaust together on their way tothe absorber, a retrigerating absorbing apparatus for cooling theliquidexhaust from the auxiliary engine and causing it to absorb thegaseous-exhaust from the main engine, and a pump or other device forwithdrawing the ammonia solution produced by such absorption from theabsorber and returning it to the generator, substantially as described.

2. The combination of an ammonia gas generator and its heating device, agas-engine connected with the vapor-space of the generator, and a waterengine or motor connected withthe liquid-space of the generator for thepurpose of operating both engines from the same generator, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, in an ammonia-engine apparatus, of a gas-generator,a steam-boiler connected therewith, a gas-engine havin g connection withthe generator, and an exhaust from the engine connecting with arefriger- IIO ating-absorber, a pipe connecting the liquidspace of thegenerator with the exhaust-pipe ofthe engine, a retrigeratingfabsorber,a pump for drawing the concentrated solution from the absorber andreturning the saine to the generator, and a reservoir heated by asteamcoil from the boiler intermediate between the absorber and thegenerator, substantially as described.

4. In an am lnonia-engine apparatus, the combination, with agasgenerator, a vaporengine, and an exhaust-gas absorber, each connectedwith the other by suitable pipes, of a water-cooled or refrigeratedvessel inten mediate between the generator and the exhaust for coolingthe weak solution on its passage from the generator to the absorbingapparatus, and a steam-heated vessel intermediate between tlie absorberand the generator for heating the strong solution before its return tothe generator, substantially as described.

5. In an ammonia-engine apparatus having a pipe for conveying weaksolution to the absorber, the absorber connected 'at its inlet with theexhaust-pipe of the engine and at its outlet with the generator throughthe intermediary of suitable pipes, suoli absorber consisting of avessel having a chamber traversed by a series of substantiallyhorizontal pipes opening` at each end into a water-way for the flow ofcold water through such pipes, said absorbing-chamber being divided intochambersbyhorizontaldiaphragmstraversing said chamber, and connectedalternately with the opposite end thereof, so as t-o leave a passage-wayfor the vapor and weak solution, whereby the weak solution and gas arecaused to iiow around the outside of a series of watercooled tubes,substantially as described.

G. In an ammonia-engine apparatus having a pipe for conveying weaksolution to the absorber, the absorber for effecting the absorption ofthe exhaust ammonia-gas bythe weak solution from the generator,consisting of a Vessel or chamber having an inlet-pipe at the upper endand an4 outlet-pipe at the lower end entering` a secondary absorberbelow the liquid-line for the passage of the gas and aininoniaLsQlution,traversed by a series of substantially horizontal pipes communicating ateach end with an inclosed water-way for the passage of cold' waterthrough the pipes without entering the absorbing-chamber, theabsorbing-chamber being divided into connecting-chambers by perforateddiaphragrns, and

the water-way at each end being divided by partitions, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature `in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH H. CAMPBELL. Vitnesses:

C. L. HoRAeIQ JAMES MCLAIN.

